BC - Linguistics

1996

BC-96-2/3 -- Linguistics

96-2/3-212

Lexicon Grammaticorum: Who's Who in the History of World Linguistics. General ed. Harro Stammerjohann. Tübingen: Niemeyer, 1996. xxvii, 1047 p. 25 cm. ISBN 3-484-73018-8: DM 586.00

This dictionary follows the recent publication of several biographical dictionaries in the area of linguistics, notably the Linguisten-Handbuch (Tübingen, 1994) covering the German-speaking countries. Though produced by a German publisher, this volume, as one can surmise from the subtitle, is in English, underscoring the international nature of the project (422 contributors from 27 countries). However, the English subtitle is also a little misleading: not a Who's Who, but a Who Was Who, this dictionary lists only historical--i. e., deceased--figures from the world of linguistics. It is hard to tell how the selection of "the most important representatives" in world linguistics was made, especially when comparing the length of the articles. The one-page introduction gives no indication of the structure of the individual articles. The presence of many grammarians of antiquity and the Middle Ages is admirable, though keeping the medieval names in their Latin forms would have been preferable to translating them into English, and much more in line with the international nature of this work. Overall, this is a useful bio-bibliographical dictionary for the history of linguistics, but it shows major editorial shortcomings. The complete lack of indexes restricts access to the information contained herein and severely limits its usefulness. [sh/hh]

96-2/3-213

Bio-bibliographisches Handbuch zur Sprachwissenschaft des 18. Jahrhunderts: die Grammatiker, Lexikographen und Sprachtheoretiker des deutschsprachigen Raums mit Beschreibungen ihrer Werke; BBHS [Bio-bibliographical Handbook of 18th Century Linguistics: Grammaticians, Lexicographers, and Language Theorists of German-speaking Countries with Descriptions of their Works]. Ed. Herbert E. Brekle . . . Tübingen: Niemeyer. 28 cm. ISBN 3-484-73020-X

Vol. 1. A-Br. 1992. xlvii, 378 p. ISBN 3-484-73021-8: DM 248.00

Vol. 2. Bu-E. 1993. xvii, 438 p. ISBN 3-484-73022-6: DM 248.00

Vol. 3. F-G. 1994. xvi, 411 p. ISBN 3-484-73023-4: DM 248.00

Vol. 4. H-I. 1996. xvii, 404 p. ISBN 3-484-73024-2: DM 248.00

When complete, the BBHS will list around 1600 persons from the greater German-speaking region whose first relevant contribution to the field of linguistics fell between the years 1700 and 1800. Each article contains a biography, a description of the person's work in the field, and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources. An additional list of authors who were not covered in detail can be found at the end of each volume. The articles are not uniform in their level of detail, and a listing of the compilers is lacking. The detail of the bibliographic entries (cataloging records, really) is so great as to be cumbersome. Volumes 1-4 are available so far; they appear at intervals of about a year. Not until the whole set, including the final index volume, is finished, will the real relevance and importance of this reference work become evident. [sh/hh]

96-2/3-214

Einführung in die feministische Sprachwissenschaft [Introduction to Feminist Linguistics]. Ingrid Samel. Berlin: Erich Schmidt, 1995. 244 p. 21 cm. ISBN 3-503-03709-8: DM 29.80

This German contribution to the area of feminist linguistics can be read in several different ways: as an introduction to the discipline, as a current bibliography on the topic with a collection of suggestions for a more gender-neutral German language, or as a treatise on sexism in language and society and the need for change. The reader needs to be forewarned that it often seems grammatical gender has been confused with sex, so that many of the proposals for change are anything but gender-neutral! The comprehensive bibliography and the subject index contribute greatly to the usefulness of this volume. Because of the currency and controversial nature of this topic, this work is recommended. [wb/hh]

6-2/3-215

Scaffale italiano: avviamento bibliografico allo studio della lingua italiana [Introduction to the Study of the Italian Language]. Zarko Muljacic. Scandicci: La Nuova Italia, 1991. 374 p. 21 cm. (Biblioteca di Italiano e oltre, 7). ISBN 88-221-0974-0: Lit. 35.000

Though it differs in title and calls itself a first edition, this volume by Zarko Muljcic is actually the direct successor of his Introduzione allo studio della lingua italiana (Torino, 1971). The 22 systematic chapters list and annotate works on topics in Italian linguistics ranging from bibliographies, journals and conferences to grammar, syntax, lexicology, and dialectology. These are followed by an expansive bibliography of 1300 monograph and article titles. Though similar in style to the Puppo/Baroni Manuale critico-bibliografico per lo studio della letteratura italiana reviewed below (RREO 96-2/3-269), it is somewhat easier to use. Though the emphasis is naturally on Italian publications, the bibliography includes the most important titles on Italian linguistics from other countries. There is a name index but unfortunately no subject index. As a general bibliographical introduction to Italian linguistics this book is second to none; however, since it is a selected annotated bibliography, for a thorough literature search one needs to supplement it with current bibliographies. [sh/hh]

96-2/3-216

Kto est' kto v sovremennoi rusistike = Who's Who in Russian Linguistics. Ed. Iurii Karaulov and Arto Mustaioki, under the auspices of the Institut russkogo iazyka Rossiiskoi akademii nauk. Moskva and Chel'sinki: Discimus Oy, 1994. 330 p. 22 cm. ISBN 952-90-5536-6: DM 80.00 (Kubon & Sagner, München, distributor) (Oy Libri Academici Ab, P.O. Box 833, SF-00101 Helsinki)

This bio-bibliography has entries for 663 Russian linguists from 37 countries. Data following each name were collected by survey and contain information on the scholar's academic career, areas of specialization, selected personal data, a listing of monographs (not journal articles) authored by the person, and their business address. Alphabetical indexes by country, by personal name, and by language of the scholars' publications are included. More names might have been added by consulting existing sources such as Kürschners deutscher Gelehrtenkalender for Germany and Austria and other national directories. This work will certainly serve its stated purpose of facilitating contact and cooperation between scholars of Russian linguistics and can therefore be recommended for academic libraries. In their foreword, the authors are already speaking of improvements to be made in future editions, and these future editions will be welcome. [hro/hh]

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